The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-11-25
A GIRL GRUSOE.
Thrilling Experiences ct a Mission
ary's CaStaWaY Daughter.

aTyS daughter.
Among the Forthcoming fall publica
tions of a well-known Eastern pub
fishing house is book which promises
to be replete with interest, entitled
missionary Life and Labors in the
South Sea Islands," 1t is the pro
duction OF Miss Hannah Durston, q
young lady who has spent her entire
life among the scenes which she de
scrIbes, and who is now actively en-,
gagged in the work of promulgating the
gospel among the idol worshIppers
and pagans of the faraway isles OF the
ocean. Miss Durston is now soiourn-
ing in San Francisco with friends.
She has left her field Of labor in the
Fiji Islands to journey to New York
and arrange for the early publication
of her work, in which she takes much
pride. In her island home Miss Durston
is often Familiarity called by her friends
the "Young Crusoe Missionary" To
a Call reporter who visited her one
evening at her cosy quarters at $50 1-2
McAllister street, Miss Durston relat-
ed the sad story OF how she came to
earnthis title. She prefaced her mar
lsation by a short biographical sketch
of herself and a description of the mis-
-iCy, WI uynrly nf hnp - r1r+z
The fair young authoress was born
In the Tientsin District, China, in
October, 1856. Her father was en.
gagged in Gospel labors there at the
time. The climate did not agree with
Mrs. Durston, and while Hannah was
yet very young the family moved to
the Sandwich Islands. where Mr.. Ours
ton, in company with a family named
Johannsen carried On mission work.
The Durstons eventually, in 1874 set
tied in the group of Vita Levu, one
OF the FIJI group. up to this time"
said Miss DCrston, 'Ihad been as hap
Ply as any child possibly could be. l
was a great favorite with natives
wherever we went, and learned their
Language thoroughly. Besides, father
and mother took great pains to
teach me everything, so my education
was not neglected. | was now old
enough to realize the value of my par
ents' labors, ard began to take q great |
interest IN religious matters. In as
able a manner as | knew how | talked
with the worshippers of idols and
tried TO impress upon them the teach.
ings OF Christianity.
1T vas on a Christmas day that ]
remember so well my father telling
mother that he mad decided to change
his residence to the Island OF Kaud-
avn, and there work in harmony with
the Wesleyan ministers, who are
numerous on that island. We
made the chance ere another month
had gene by. | did not like Kandayu,
although there is q pretty bay and
some fine inland scenery. We lived IN
q hut made OF cane several miles from
where the colony was located.
1T was very loresAme. and many
Of the natives had ugly dispositions.
They protested disgust and contempt
for missionaries. Mothers
soft and kind ways seemed to have
effect upon them, and quite FREE
quently they stole things from us.
THEFT, | will say though, is not d COM
mon practice among the Eijians. One
day father reprimanded q sub-ehief
called Ko.Ko for stealing a jack-Knife.
and IN reply the chief threatened to /
wreak vengeance OH us. Father had J,
but little fear Of him doing anything, ]
but two days afterwards a friendly
native came and told us that Ko-Ko {
and some Of his friends would. pay us
2 visit that night and probably muir
1er father and mother and carry me I
INTO captivity. for Ko.Ko had an evil /
md licentious disposition.
rather became alarmed at this. s
as the beach was near by we resolved
20 take q few things and seek safety
pa the ocean IN q large bark canoe,
Until the next day. when we could !.
each she colony overland, as Ko. Ko
md his men would surely be on the
ookout. From thedoor of our hut
q the sandy beach was only d few
Iters. Here Was our canoe. which
ather used in visiting adjacent ISL
lEds. In the bow was s capacious
ecker, where food AMI d few Other
le~cessaries could Sc kept. Towards
unset we hastened to the beach,
'laced our things in the locker and
ather pushed the canoe into the wa.
It would seem that we were none
soon in getting sway, for the ca
WIS barely a hundred feet from
he beach when the trencherous Ko-
80 and six other natives came bound.
ng to the waters edge, brandieh-
NC their spears at us in a threatening
ashton. They had visited the house
md found that We hadgone. KosKo,
With ~ imprecation. hurled d spear
~ ne, but tdelI short and drOpued in
the water. Father hreathed 4 for
prayer over ~ narrow escape